Moisture measuring and recording apparatus



. I 64651 1927' e. s. WITHAM, JR 6 MOISTURE MEASURING AND RECORDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 14, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ll 6 WW: 9:0

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INVENTOR csemgg whim/111 312 Oct. 25, 1927.

G. S. WITHAM, JR

MOISTURE MEASURING AND RECORDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 14. .1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

INVENTOR AORNEY 7 1,545 515 ct. 251 s. WITHAM' JR 7.

MOISTURE MEASURING AND RECORDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 14, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR .1 I ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 25, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE S. WITHAM, R., OF HUDSON FALLS, NEW YORK.

MOISTURE'MEASURING ANI) RECORDING APPARATUS.

Application filed February 14, 1924. Serial No. 692,889.

The invention will be described as em- 1o ployed in the manufacture of paper, but I wish it understood that I do not want to be limited to its use in that specific industry.

In the manufacture ofpaper the web after being formed is then conducted over festoon or other driers, after which it is cut and reeled up for use. The driers. are referably steam heated, and the quantity 0 steam admitted, so as to leave the requisite quantity of moisture in the pa er, is usually manually controlled by one of he machine attendants, and the quantity of steam admitted is usually dependent upon the moisture content of the paper, as determined by the feel. It will be obvious that the determination of the moisture content by the feel of the paper is dependent upon the skill and judgment of the attendant, and, even with thesame attendant, various changes and conditions affect his judgment or estimate of the moisture content. Heretofore devices have been proposed for determining the moisture content, which are not altogether dependent upon the judgment of an attendant. Such devices, while more or less satisfactory, are usually of complicated construction and design, and are therefore not in allcases practicable for the uses to which they are put.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 531,863 filed January 26, 1922, I have described a form of moisture recording apparatus, a part of which is designed to be either manually or automatically moved across the web of paper or other material being tested, so that a determination of the moisturecontent of the web at any particular point may be made. That apparatus, while satisfactory in most cases, involves moving parts which may get out of order and thus affect the accuracy of the deter-.

mination.

In my-co-pending application, Serial No. 537,328 filed February 17, 1922, I have disclosed a control apparatus designed to automatically control the admission of steam to the driers, dependent upon the moisture content of the paper passing over the driers.

It is the principal object of my present invention, to provide a relatively simple form of device for indicating the moisture.

content of a traveling web, and one in which there are few or no'moving parts to get. out

of order.

It isa further object to provide a form of moisture indicator in which the moisture content .of any selected part or the whole of the traveling web may be determined by a slmple manipulation of a valve or valves.-

It is another object to provide improved forms of sample box for collecting a gas,

' for determination of the moisture content of the traveling web.

In the drawings, which showfor illustrative purposes only, preferred forms of the 1nvention- Fig. 1 is a partially diagrammatic plan view of one form ofmy improved apparatus applied to a traveling web;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the apparatus disclosed in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of an improved form of sample box;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken 7 substantially in the plane of the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a plan view ofa modified form of sample box;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially in the plane of the line 8-8 of Fi 6; Fig. 8 is a plan view of a further modified form of sample box;

Fig. 9 is a sectional View taken substaniially in the plane of the line 1010 of Fig. 10 is a plan view of still another form of sample box;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view .taken substantially in the plane of the line 12--12 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a further modification of a sample box;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken substantially in the plane of the line 1414 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 shows another form of sample box; and

Fig. 15 is a section taken substantially in the plane of the line 16-16 of Fig. 14.

In the drawings, 12 represent two driers, constituting part of a series of driers for a traveling web of paper 3. The paper, after leaving the last or sweat drier 1, passes over a spring roll 4 and then over a series of calender rolls, not shown. While it is possible to ascertain the moisture content of the traveling web at an desired point, I believe it is best to make t at determination just in advance of the last sweat drier, for by that drier some previous errors in the manufacture may be corrected. I therefore prefer to position my improved form of sample box 5 against the traveling web, just before the latter reaches'the last sweat drier 1. The

sample box may be secured to the frame of.

eling web and is also heated to an extent.

dependent upon the temperature. of the web. The heated and moist or humidified gas leaves the sample box 5 and, by means of the conduit 9, passes to someform of hygrometer or hygroscope 10 which, in the form shown, is a wet anddry bulb psychrometer. 11 indicates the dry bulb, while 12 indicates the wet bulb, having gauze or other suitable means for maintainingthe same in a moistcondition. After passing through and acting on the sychrometer 10 the air or gas is released to the atmosphere. I

13 designates any suitable form of recordingmechanism for recording the differences in temperature of ,the' wet and dry bulbs. The dial or chart placed on the recorder 13 may, of course, be calibrated to read differ ences in temperatures, or may be calibrated to read the moisture content directly as will be understood.

Such is the general construction and application of my invention.

The preferred form of sam le'box disclosed in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 pre erably comprises a long shallow box extending completely across the traveling web. The box itself is provided'with a plurality of channels 15, 16 and 17, extending from end to i 7 end thereof. One wall 18 of the box serves to divide the shallow tro to separate the channels from the trough formed by this wall 18 and the rails 1919 secured thereto and preferably rounded, as shown. The shallow passage or trough formed by the wall 18 and the rails 19 is dlvided by partition members 2021, so as h into three compartments and end rails or stops 22-23 serve to define the ends of the two end compartments. At one end the sample box has a connection 24 for receiving the conduit 8,

for conveying the gas or air from the blower to the sample box. 9 this section 24 carrying the intake connection is preferably removably secured to the box as by means of screws (not shown). The connection 24 is in communication with all of the channels and permits the air or gas to enter. The opposite end of the sample box is also provlded with a connection 25, for receiving the discharge conduit 9, which conducts the air to the hygrometer after passage across the traveling web. The connection 25 is preferably removably secured to the sample box by means of a screw or the like (Fig. 3), so as to permit cleaning and inspection. All of the channels are adapted to communicate with the connection 25 and the discharge conduit 9, but each channel is controlled by valves 26, 27 28 so that one or all of the channels may be shut off by means of their respective valves. When one of the valves, for example valve 27, is opened, that is, moved toward the right as viewed in Fig. 4, the channel 16 'is opened.

If the valves 26, 27 are closed and the valve 28 opened, the channel 17 is free for the passage of air. The channel 15 is likewise controlled by the valve 26.

While the channels in the sample box preferably extend entirely along the sample box, each channel is so interrupted as to cause the air or gas from the conduit 8 to In the preferred form pass out of the channel and upwardly into. a I

shallow trough formed by the wall 18, rails .1919 and partitions 20-21, so as to cause the air from that channel to come in close contact' with the traveling web and thus be affected by the temperature and moisture content of the web. In the form shown each channel has a block 29 therein (clearly shown in Fig. 5) and the wall 18 is provided in each of the three compartments with inlet and outlet apertures. The left-hand box thus has the inlet aperture 30 and the outlet aperture 31. The middle compartment has inlet and outlet apertures 32, 33 respectively,

while the right-hand compartment has corresponding apertures 34. 35 respectively.

It will thus be seen that with the valves positioned as shown in Fig. 4, that is, with the middle channel 16 open, air or gas may enter all the channels, but since channels 15. and 17 are closed by the valves 26, 28, only the channel 16 willbe free for the passage of air to the outlet 9. Air will then pass along the.channel and, upon reaching the aperture 32 in the wall 18, will come out into the shallow central trough and. will there absorb moisture and be heated. by the traveling web of paper or other material. The gas then passes out through the outlet aperture 33 and again into the channel, and thence out through the outlet conduit 9 to the hygrometer 10, where the moist air affects the readings of the wet and dry bulbs free to passthrough all of the channels and shallow troughs in contact with the web, and the moisture content of the entire width of web will then be reflected in the hygrometer. It will be noted that the pressure in the sample box is above that of the atmosphere and, while a negligible quantity of air may escape between the box and web, no air is drawn into the box at this point to contaminate the testing air current as might be the case if the pressure in the sample box was below that of the atmosphere.

If necessary a tie rod 35' adjustable by means of a turn buckle as shown in Fig. 3, may be employed for. preventing the sample box from sagging.

In the form shown in Figs. 6 and 7 there are also provided three channels 36, 37 and 38. Each of these channels is partitioned oflt' I so that the channel 36 includes approximately one-third of the width of the sample box. The channel 37 includes approximately twothirds the width of the box, while the channel 38 includes practically the entire width of the box. Air or gas entering the conduit 8 may enter any one of the channels, as will be clear from Fig. 6, depending upon which of the valves 39, 40 or 41 may be open to perm? t such passage of air.

In the form shown in Figs. 8 and 9 air enters through the conduit or connection 8, and thence may pass into any one of the chambers 42, 43, 44, but since these cham"- bers' or troughs are controlled by means of valves 45, 46, 47, no gas may flow until one of these valves is opened. If the valve 46, for example, is open, gas may pass through conduit 8 into the trough 43,'where it will be affected by the temperature and humidity of the web traveling across the face of the sample box, and thence past the valve 46 to conduit 9 and to the hygrometer. It will be noted that in this form of construction each valve stem is practically parallel with the traveling web and is in close proximity thereto.

In the formshown in Figs. 10 and 11 air or gas may enter through conduit 8. In this form there are also three compartments 48, 49, 50, which, as in the preceding forms, are covered by the traveling web. Each of these compartments is controlled by a valve 51, 52, 53 respectively. If, therefore, one of the valves, for example, valve 52, is open, as shown in Fig. .11, air or gas flowing in conduit 8 will pass outwardly through the slot or aperture 54, thence in contact with the traveling web, through the shallow trough and past the valve 52 and into the conduit 9, from which it passes to the hygrometer. The other compartments are similarly controlled. .In this form of apparatus it will be noted that a very shallow trough is provided, insuring good contact with the traveling web, and the valves are at right angles to the web and removed therefrom for ease in manipulation Figs. 12 and 13 disclose still another",

modification in which three compartments 55, 56 and 57 are formed. The compartv ments are located between the conduits or channels 8 and 9, and double valves 58 59,

60' control the passage of air or gas rom and to said channels, respectively. If one of the valves, for example, the valve 59, is open, gas passing through the conduit 8 will pass the end valve, thence through the central compartment in contact with the travel ing web, and then to the conduit 9, from which it goes to the hygrometer.

Figs. 1 4 and 15 indicate a form of sample box formed of tubes or pipes. In that form air or gas enters through the conduit 8 into a central cylindrical channel 61. Within said channel 61 is a valve tube 62, extending beyond one end of the sample box, and there provided with means, such as a hand wheel 63, for rotating the same. Surrounding and spaced from the central channel member 61 is a second pipe or conduit 64, which is secured t0 the channel 61 by means of tubes 65, 65, which also serve to afl'ord communication between the channel 61 and the-trough 66 formed by the pipe 64 and the rails 67, 67, secured thereto across which the web passes. The inner valve tube 62 is provided with valve apertures 68, 69, 70, in line with the short pipes or tubes 65, 65, so that upon rotation of the valve tube one of the apertures 68, 69, 70 communicates with one of the tubes and permits the air or. gas to enter one of the three compartments 0r shallow troughs .formed by the rails 67-67 and divided, as

by means of the partitions 71, 72, and end members 7 374 are, of course,,provided, so that the end compartments are closed. The gas, after passing through one of the valve pipe apertures and into the shallow trough,

passes along the web, absorbing moisture and becoming heated thereby, after which the gas or air enters one of the passages 75, 76, 7 in the outer tube 64, and thence through the'annular space between the tubes 61, 64 to the conduit 9, which conducts the same to the hygrometer.

It will thus be seen that with all forms of sample box'which have been disclosed, it is partments in communication with the material to be tested, means for passlng a current of gas through one of said compartments and in contact with a portion .of the material to be tested, meansfor preventing a flow of gas to the remainder of said compartments, and a hygrometer to be affected by the gas passed through said box, said hygrometer being located in the path of the gas after contact of'the latter with said material.

2. In a device of the character described, a sample box including a plurality of compartments in communication with the material to be tested, means for passing a current of gas through any one of said compartments and in contact with the material to be tested, and a hygr'ometer to be affected by, the gas passed through. said compartment, said hygrometer being located in the path of the gasafter contact of the latter with said material 3. In a device of the character described, a sample box at least a portion of which is in communication with the material to be tested, means for passing a current of gas through said sample 'box, valve means for blocking a portion of said box and causing the gas to flow through a portion thereof and in contact with a portion of the material to be tested, and a hygrometer to be affected by the gas passed through such selected portion of said box, said hygrometer being located in the ath of the *gas after contact of the latter with said material.

4. In a device of the character described,

a sample box to be mounted adjacent the material to be tested, said box having a plurality of valve controlled passages there in in communication with the material to be tested, means for passing 'gas through said passages and in contact with the material .to'be tested, and a hygrometer to be affected by the gas passed through said passages, said hygrometer being located in the path of the gas after contact of the layer with said material. v i

5. In a device of the'character described, a sample box to be mounted adjacent the face of a traveling web and in communication therewith, said box being divided into a plurality of sections, and means for admitting a current of gas to any one of said sections'and in contact with the traveling web and a hygrometer to be affected by the gas after passing over the web, said hygrometer being located in the path of the gas issuing from said box.

6. A material testing-device of the character described, comprising a plurality of conductors each' having an open side arranged adjacent to and substantially closed by said material for subjecting currents of gas passing through said conductors to intimate contact with different portions, respectively, of the surface of said material, gas circulating means for producing said currents, and closure means for said conductors, respectively, for directing said gas currents therethrough, selectively.

7. material testing device of the character described, comprising a plurality of conductors each having an open side arranged ad acent to and substantially closed by said material for subjecting currents of gas passing through said conductors to intimate contact with different portions, respectively, of the surface of said material, means for producing a current of gas through any of said conductors,.selectively, and humidity responsive means subjected to said gas currents after contact thereof with said material.

8. In a device of the character described, a box having an open side for cooperation with the surface of a material to be tested to define in conjunction with the latter an enclosed zone, means for supplying gas to said zone and discharging the same therefrom, means for selectively directing such gas to any one of a plurality of sections of said zone, and humidity lresponsive means located in the path of thegas after contact of the latter with said material.

9. In a device of the character described, a

box having an open side adapted to be .ar-'

to be tested to define in conjunction therewith an enclosed zone, partitions dividing v said zone into a plurality of separate sections each communicating with said material, means for circulating gas through an of said sections, selectively, at a pressure a ove that of the atmosphere, and humidity responsive means located in the path ofsaid gas'after contact thereof with said material.

10. In a device for indicating the moisture content of a traveling web, a fixedly mounted sample box to be engaged by the traveling Web and extending .across the latter, said box having a plurality of compartments over which the web may pass, means for causing a current of gas to pass through any one of said compartments and in contact with said web, and a hygrometer to be affected by the current of gas after passing through said compartment and in contact with the web,

said hygrometer being located in the path of the gas issuing from said sample box.

11. In a device for indicating the moisture content of traveling material, a plurality of chambers each to communcate with a part of of the traveling material, means for passing a current of gas to contact with the material and through either of said chambers, and means to be acted upon by the gas after passing in contact with the material for indicating the moisture content thereof.

12. Apparatus for ascertainingthe moisture content of an object, comprising asample box having an open face and an interior chamber subdivided into separate compartments all opening through said open face but over different sections of the surface of the object, said box being disposed with its open K face in close proximity to and substantially closed .by the surface of said object whose moisture content is to be ascertained, means by which a suitable gas may be passed se- 'lectively through said compartments so as to come into contact with selected sections of the surface of the object and have its humidity modified by the section of said surface of the object which closes the particular compartment through which the gas may be passing, and means for ascertaining the humidi'ty of the gas after contact thereof with said surface in one of the said compartments, and thereby obtaining an indication of the moisture content of the section. of the object surfacewhich closes said one of the compartments.

13. Apparatus for ascertaining the moisture content of an object, comprising a sample box having an open face and an interior chamber subdivided into separate compart-' ments all/opening through said open facebutover different sections of the surface of the object, said box being disposed with its open face in close proximity to and substantially closed by the surface of said object Whose moisture content is to be ascertained, means by which a suitable gas may be passed selectively through saidcompartments so as to come into contact'with selected sections of the surface of the object and have its humidity modified by the section of said surface of the object which closes the 'particular'compartment through which the gas maybepassing, a common conduit through which passes the gas leaving all active compart ments, and means associated with saidconduit for indicating the humidlty of the gas in said conduit. 

